Kajol: Kajol is undoubtedly one of the best actresses we have at present in the Hindi film industry. She has an uncanny ability to almost always rise above the script, is able to switch moods with consummate ease and breathe life into every scene she does. Her paternal grandfather, S Mukherjee, was a stalwart first at Bombay Talkies, then Filmistan and then at Filmalaya.
Her paternal grandmother’s brothers were the three Ganguly brothers – Ashok Kumar, Anoop Kumar and Kishore Kumar. Her paternal uncles Joy Mukherjee and Deb Mukherjee, were actors. Her maternal grandmother was the definitive Sita in the history of Hindi cinema, Shobana Samarth. Her maternal aunt was one of the greatest actresses Indian cinema has ever seen, Nutan. Her father, Shomu Mukherjee, was a film producer while her mother, Tanuja, was an extremely popular heroine. Her cousins too, Rani Mukherji and Monish Behl, have done quite well for themselves.
Birthday: August 5, 1974 in Mumbai.
Spouse: Ajay Devgan.
Debut film: Rahul Rawail’s Bekhudi in 1992.
Second Film: Baazigar (1993).
Major Impact: Aditya Chopra‘s Dilwale Dulhania Le Jaayenge or DDLJ (1995).
Succesful Films: Karan Arjun (1995), Gupt (1997), Ishq(1997), Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya (1998), Pyar To Hona Hi Tha (1998), Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham or K3G (2001), Fanaa (2006).
Awards: 4 times winner of the Filmfare Best Actress Award.
Forthcoming Bollywood Film: My Name is Khan.
Facts we didn’t know:
Kajol is a fourth-generation actress: her mother Tanuja, maternal aunt Nutan Behl, maternal grandmother Shobhna Samarth and maternal great grandmother Rattan Bai were all movie stars in their day.
Often paired on-screen with actor Shah Rukh Khan. In fact, each of her five movies with him (Baazigar, Karan Arjun, Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, and Kabhi Khushie Kabhi Gham) have all gone on to become super-hits and blockbusters.
In 2001, she retired temporarily from Bollywood to spend more time with her family.
Her wedding to Ajay Devgan was a quiet affair where only a few close friends and relatives were invited. The newly wed couple went on a two month honeymoon traveling the world visiting such places as Sydney & Cairo. She will continue to act in select films, maybe in one or two a year.
Listed as number 4 of ‘Top Bollywood Actresses’ of 2006 (rediff.com).
